X-Ray CT Phenotyping Reveals Bi-Phasic Growth Phases of Potato Tubers Exposed to Combined Abiotic Stress.

As a consequence of climate change, heat waves in combination with extended drought periods will be an increasing threat to crop yield. Therefore, breeding stress tolerant crop plants is an urgent need. Breeding for stress tolerance has benefited from large scale phenotyping, enabling non-invasive, continuous monitoring of plant growth.

Cephalometry without complex dedicated postprocessing in an oriented magnetic resonance imaging dataset: a pilot study.

Objectives: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enables a 3D-volume-imaging without ionizing radiation. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to present a post-processing-free method for cephalometric analysis of a MRI-dataset and to examine whether there is a significant difference between cephalometric analysis of conventional 2D cephalograms and MRI scans.

Methods: One MRI scan each was performed on three cadaver heads using a 3T-MR-scanner.

3D Imaging and metabolomic profiling reveal higher neuroactive kavalactone contents in lateral roots and crown root peels of Piper methysticum (kava).

Background: Kava is an important neuroactive medicinal plant. While kava has a large global consumer footprint for its clinical and recreational use, factors related to its use lack standardization and the tissue-specific metabolite profile of its neuroactive constituents is not well understood.

Results: Here we characterized the metabolomic profile and spatio-temporal characteristics of tissues from the roots and stems using cross-platform metabolomics and a 3D imaging approach.

A substitute variety for agronomically and medicinally important Serenoa repens (saw palmetto).

Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) berries are one of the most consumed medicinal herbs in the United States and the wild green variety is used in the initial therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), globally. Use of saw palmetto is approved by the German Commission E, and several clinical trials are underway for evaluation of its efficacy. Exploitation of its habitats and over foraging imperil this plant, which only grows in the wild.